Chapter 474

Chapter 474

As Japan Passing became a reality in Asia, the concerns of Japanese companies grew.

Although there was no immediate damage, it was a serious problem that Japan was excluded from the free trade bloc led by Korea, China and Russia.

In addition, Japan’s colonial rule and war crimes emerged as international issues, and negative public opinion against Japan arose in ASEAN.

China has quietly fanned this and tried to use it as an opportunity to increase the influence of its own companies.

In Japan, a boycott of Korean products took place led by right-wing groups, anti-Korean groups, and net right-wing groups. Makoto Sakurai, president of the representative anti-Korean group re-special group, raised his voice and shouted.

“How long will we be defeated by a country that was once a colony of Japan? There is no need to deal with people who are ungrateful and do not know the grace of annexing and developing a country that was nothing more than a colony of China! Unsubscribe from Faceit, close your Lost Fantasy account, and don’t use your OTK battery! Those who don’t do that aren’t Japanese!”

In fact, the number of users of Faceit and Lost Fantasy decreased. But it wasn’t something to worry about.

While the boycott took place in Japan, the image of OTK Company in Asia has risen significantly.

Face It and Lost Fantasy have been a sensation in ASEAN. This more than made up for the decline in the Japanese market.

Regarding Japan’s boycott, Faceit CEO Toby Strong said:

“If you don’t want to see it, don’t look. It’s hard for us to put on the mosaic one by one. I don’t even know why I have to do this.”

OTK Games also took the position that it would not respond to the boycott separately as President Ichikawa announced his departure from Japan and moved the headquarters and corporation to Detroit.

What was noteworthy was the attitude of the Japanese media.

Unlike the last conflict, which did not hesitate to speak out and incite anti-Korean and boycott movements, even the Sankei Shimbun and NHK were cautious.

This meant that they were feeling a considerable sense of crisis in the current situation in East Asia.

Professor Ichiro Sasahara, professor of economics at the University of Tokyo, wrote the following article to the press.

‘I don’t know what to boycott. Even if it decreases, trade with Japan is always in a surplus, and so is the travel account. This means that Korea buys Japanese products and travels to Japan much more than Japan buys Korean products and travels to Korea. Japan is an isolated and unusual market that is called Zalapagos, but Korea is incorporated into the global value chain and plays an important role in the global economy. If we had to trade with only one country between Korea and Japan, three years ago, all countries would have chosen Japan. But now, many countries are more likely to choose Korea. As you can see from the last trade dispute, Japan suffers even if it sanctions exports, and Japan suffers even if it sanctions imports. Aside from moral and political correctness, if it was possible to ignore South Korea’s demands in the past, it is no longer possible. Nevertheless, how long will the self-harm of hate and boycott continue?’

* * *

Professor Homin Kim came to the company.

Normally, I have thick hair and a chubby beard, but today I combed my hair properly and shaved my beard. He was also neatly dressed in a suit.

“You look clean today.”

“I went to the International Battery Forum.”

“Ah! I think it was today.”

Originally, it was an event for battery experts in Korea to gather and exchange opinions. But at some point, it became an international event.

This year, too, researchers from Japan, China and Europe entered the country in large numbers.

It seems that Korea has become the center of the global battery industry. The reason is, of course, thanks to the OTK battery.

What I realized anew through this incident is the importance of technology.

If it were not for OTK batteries, could the commercialization of electric vehicles be able to proceed so quickly? Could it have won the trade war with Japan?

I don’t know much because I’m a liberal arts major, but in fact, Professor Homin Kim’s achievements were unbelievably great.

In general, technology evolves at a similar rate. However, sometimes a genius appears and raises the level of human technology by several steps.

OTK Battery presented a new type of battery, and other companies also tried to disassemble and analyze it and develop a new battery by circumventing the patent.

These efforts were not in vain, however, and prototypes were created in several places. However, there is still a long way to go before it can be used.

Still, as we continue to conduct R&D, something will come out in a few years.

No matter how good a skill is, if you stand still, you will surely catch up. Therefore, in order to maintain the technological gap, we also need to continue R&D.

Professor Homin Kim said while scratching his head.

“I made some inquiries to the geology professors I met through the introduction of Professor Mohan.”

“What kind of inquiry?”

“I was wondering if there is a possibility that there is a geratinium deposit in North Korea.”

“Ah… … .”

There are many stories about the underground resources buried in North Korea.

In fact, it is said that there is a lot of lignite in Hamgyeong-do (the Aoji Coal Mine is also located here), and there are large deposits of gold, uranium, and rare earths.

However, due to the closed nature of North Korea, exactly what minerals are buried and how many are still unknown.

When the north-south railroad is connected, a new infrastructure is formed around the railroad tracks. As North Korea is highly likely to engage in resource development and sales in connection with Siberian development, global resource companies also showed great interest.

“Looking at the topography, it is highly probable that there are significant amounts of rare earth deposits in North Korea.”

“I heard that too.”

According to the Korean Research Center’s estimate, about 20 to 50 million tons. There are even claims of over 200 million tons.

If this is true, it could overtake China to become the world’s number one rare earth producer.

But more important than reserves is profitability.

Even if a billion-dollar gem is buried, what’s the use if it costs 1.1 billion to dig?

The same is true of rare earths, which China is using as a strategic resource. In fact, there are several countries with rare earth deposits. However, due to environmental destruction and profitability problems, it is simply not being touched.

If China restricts exports or the price soars, it will have no choice but to start mining.

“The question is, what percentage of those rare earths are geratinium?”

If there is any geratinium, wouldn’t it be possible to commercialize JN batteries by solving the supply problem?

JN Battery is a game changer, a technology that will change the world.

If OTK batteries ushered in the electric vehicle era, JN batteries will open up a whole new world where everything is wireless.

If this happens, wouldn’t it be strange if the market cap of OTK Company doubled or tripled from now?

Professor Ho-min Kim smiled mischievously.

“Even if I say this, I’m not expecting much. Mineral content is also an issue, and geratinium is expensive to isolate pure substances.”

Rare earth is not the end of the mining furnace, but must go through processes such as separation, refining, and alloying. This requires advanced technology, and the existing rare-earth companies are already occupying this market.

Even if the rare earth is mined at a low price, if the cost of extracting the pure geratinium material is high, it is not easy to secure economic feasibility.

I told Professor Homin Kim.

“Definitely an accurate investigation is necessary.”

However, if high-purity geratinium is buried in large quantities in North Korea, all problems will be solved at once.

We can make JN Battery, and North Korea can secure the capital necessary for economic development without outside help.

Thinking like that, Taek-gyu stared at me. It’s as if they are urging them to come and see Yeji.

“… … .”

Wouldn’t it be nice if it looked like it wanted it?

* * *

While the economic cooperation between South and North Korea and free trade agreements involving Korea, China, Russia, ASEAN, Central Asia, India, and Australia were in progress, the calendar turned to December.

While we were watching TV together in the living room, Ellie suddenly said:

“Another year is coming to an end.”

It’s a thought that comes to mind every time, but it seems that time goes by faster as the years go by. It feels like it’s only been yesterday since we started the new year, but it’s already December.

Taek-gyu said in admiration for nothing.

“A lot of things happened this year.”

It was really eventful.

Toyota stock purchase, TWR investment, trade dispute with Japan, California recovery, Saemangeum development, Nikola acquisition, inter-Korean economic cooperation, etc.

It’s hard to believe that so many things have happened in one year. I feel like I’m standing in the middle of world history for some reason… … Is it your mood?

As the end of the year approached, parties were held here and there, and several invitations were sent to homes and offices a day.

As always, the upper classes want to enjoy their own culture. Therefore, exhibitions, concerts, and parties for the upper classes are held separately.

You can’t attend real upper class gatherings, no matter how much money you pay. Certain honor or social status, or the endorsement or recommendation of existing members is required.

Those who have just succeeded and are just starting to build their fortune try to put their energy and step here. There are reasons to want to feel like an upper-class person, but there are also reasons to get bigger opportunities.

This is because, from the mouths of the upper class, information that cannot be known through the media or the Internet comes and goes.

If you can get even a little more accurate information a little faster than others, you can seize a business opportunity just with that.

Aren’t social gatherings a part of business?

Well, we’re not going to go and benefit. Ten bodies would not be enough to attend all these events.

It is highly likely that we will be a big issue just by attending a party. And where you go and where you don’t go, someone will be disappointed. So I’m not going to go all out equally.

Invitations to numerous charitable parties and events were also sent in from the United States. It is an event held mainly by famous business people, investors, or Hollywood stars.

Some will think that it is a great honor just to receive an invitation.

“It’s a charity party… … .”

Unlike Korean companies that are stingy about donations, American companies have an active donation culture. In many cases, companies or entrepreneurs run charitable foundations.

It’s probably a Puritan country, so it’s almost obligatory.

Unlike other companies, OTK Company did not make any donations, but no American criticized it.(Read more @ wuxiax.com)

Who would have provided so many relief supplies at the time of Big One?

Although the US government paid some, we spent much more. Thanks to this, OTK Company has the right to stay in the U.S. for life… … It would not be an exaggeration to say that I got a so-called kabang ticket.

However, you should continue to donate. But this is not easy either.

“Can’t we simply donate to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?”

“It is not.”

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a charitable foundation founded by Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates. Warren Boat is also donating large sums of money to this.

The founder of Microsoft and the world’s richest man, he retired as CEO at the age of 50 when he passed on the role of CEO to Steve Ballmer, and has now turned into the world’s largest philanthropist.

The amount of donation is unimaginable. We have been donating 5 billion won a day for over 20 years.

“It’s like spending money like water.”

Taehyung narrowed his eyes.

“Isn’t it difficult to use water that much?”

That’s right.

But the ironic thing is that even doing this, the wealth is increasing. This is because Microsoft stock has continued to soar after Satya Shyamalan took over as CEO.

Bill Gates has spent half of his life trying to make money, and for the rest of his life, he is trying to use his money for good.

It is respectable in many ways. Will I be able to do the same later?

Taek-gyu looked at me and asked.

“But what are we going to do next year?”

“Well, I’ll keep making money.”

Next year, factories under construction in Korea, the United States, and Vietnam will be completed and existing lines will be replaced, and automobile production will double from now. Saemangeum will also be framed as a city to some extent.

Ellie asked with a smile.

“Is that all you have to do next year?”

I quickly added a word.

“Ah! Of course, we have to get married first.”